[zx3zetec]

I have a 2004 Focus SVT

~90,000miles on the car

the engine has about 60,000~ (rebuilt by ford)

So basically I take my car to get the alternator replaced at a shop I usually take my car to. I left it in the morning to come pick it up the next day since I had work and school.

turns out the alternator was changed but as they were backing out the car out of the shop after changing it the timing skipped and there goes my car basically.

I wasn't there when it happened. And on top of that some of my valves seem to be gone (im pretty sure they are bent) .

Now im being told this will cost me around $1000 to get fixed. $700~ in parts and labor for the head + $300~ in labor from his shop.

What can I do in this situation ? I had a car that worked fine for more than 2 years and i droped it off at a shop to get a alternator replaced and over night I don't have a car anymore.

The cars been sitting there for about a week and a half now...

I'm in desperate need of a car at the moment and i'm not sure about what I can do - or what the shop can do in this case ? doon't they have a insurance that will work if anything like this ever happens to them ?

what do you think about the prices and my situation ? and can the timing and valves really go just by backing out the car from a shop ?

I would apreciate any help and suggestions from you guys !

Thanks in advance !

 

[fakitol]

DO ANYTHING POSSIBLE IN YOUR POWER TO MAKE THEM MORE DAMAGE (TO THE AUTO SHOP) SO THEY KNOW NOT TO DO THAT NEXT TIME. (call fireinspector, call environment pollution inspector(they spill oil and coolant remember), labor inspector and anything that you have in mind

timing belt doesn't have anything in common with the alternator, IT'S THEIR FAULT!!!
I had similar trouble with my clutch and got in fight with the owner, finally I paid the initial amount that I owed and he lost $1600+ I only paid $400 because I signed a paper contract for what is going to be done since I couldn'f find the right mechanic.
Finally get your car and take it to some good auto shop and do the rest anyway.

 

[iminhell]

My first question is, why is there a rebuilt engine in the car?

Yes a timing belt can fail at any time if it's in the condition to fail. It's odd that it failed at the shop, possibly just coincidence ... you didn't happen to write the mileage of when you dropped the car off down, did you? Might be able to use that against them and say they abused the car if they put more than a few 'test miles' on the car. Big maybe though. I mean if they wrote down a different mileage than you it's a crapshoot at who is correct and who to side with.

Now could the shop have broke the belt from changing the alternator? Yes.
You'll have to inspect the upper timing cover. If it looks distorted or broken in any way, the tech may have forced the alternator out, putting pressure on the cover and breaking it. It may have rubbed the belt and a chunk may have dropped down and been picked up by the timing belt and caused the belt to skip a tooth. Or if they removed the cover they could have forgot or dropped something down the cover ... but this begs the question of why they didn't notice the poor belt condition, and they only part I can see falling down there and not being noticed is the alternator power wire nut (most new alternators come with a new one).

Unfortunately you need a car and you have limited options. It's either take your car home and part it out, pay the shop to fix it or buy something else. But buying something else you should limit yourself to what it'll cost to fix yours, $1,000. In which case you probably won't find much reliable or worthwhile.

I would have the shop fix the car. Get them to put in writing that your final bill, no matter what they find during the course of the repair, will not exceed the estimate of $1,000 AND get it notarized. That way if they find that the pistons also need to be replaced or other damages, you are not liable for the added costs, it's sorta like the shop taking some responsibility for the initial timing issue. They probably won't go for the deal though, but never hurts to try.

 

[MaltanianKing]

Burn the mother[][][][]ers